IEA fends off ‘bias’ tag in new tweet
The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has in a tweet Tuesday rebuffed claims that its Presidential debate platform was a partial stage with a political agenda to do a partisan bidding.
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“The #IEAdebate platform has always been credible…” says the tweet and urges readers to “Listen to these testimonies from our 2012 Evening Encounters”.
The tweet features a short video of the Election 2012 candidates for the two largest parties, Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) and John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“I thank the IEA for organizing this event and commend them on their continuing commitment to the development of democracy in our country,” says Nana Addo in the video.
Then comes now President Mahama: “I would like first to thank the Institute of Economic Affairs for organizing these encounters. As the clock ticks and draws nearer to our national elections, it is crucial for us to depart from the destructive, time-wasting exercise of unfounded personal attacks, petty name calling and character assassination and rather move our energies towards debates of real issues, concrete ways in which we can transform these numerous possibilities that exist into viable programmes that can and will create a better Ghana for all of us. By establishing these encounters, the IEA is doing just that. It is creating a forum within which the candidates can seriously discuss the issues facing our nation and provide the solutions that fall not only within our vision, but also within our capability.”
Known members of the ruling NDC vehemently oppose the designation of the IEA as a think tank and have often suggested it is a ruse to champion the cause of the NPP.
The Institute recently came under criticisms from various political parties when it announced a programme to host its annual pre-election debates for president aspirants.
The parties had claimed the programme was done without consultation and therefore smacked of impudence on the part of the organisers.
